The Longtime Owner Occupants Program (LOOP) is a Real Estate Tax assistance program. You may be eligible if your property assessment increased by at least 50% over last year, or by at least 75% over the past five years. Check your property’s eligibility for LOOP and see a bill estimate using the Real Estate Tax bill calculator on the Property Search website. You must also meet other requirements, such as income, length of homeownership, and no delinquent balance.
LOOP works by:
- Placing an assessment cap on your home’s valuation that prevents the Philadelphia Department of Revenue from billing you above that limit.
- If you qualify under last year’s assessment, your bill is capped at a 50 percent increase or 1.5 times the previous year’s amount.
- If you qualify based on an assessment within the past five years, your assessment is capped at 75 percent or at 1.75 times the lowest amount.
- Locking in that assessment for as long as you remain eligible.
If your home’s assessment went up by exactly 50% or 75%, you won’t save money right away compared with the savings from the Homestead Exemption. Instead, you’ll see savings for each dollar your home’s value increases beyond 50% or 75%.
This protection keeps your future Real Estate Tax bills the same, unless tax rates change.
Eligibility
To be eligible for LOOP, you must:
- Own your home.
- Have a primary residence with a property assessment that increased by:
- 50% from last year, or
- 75% in the last five years.
- Have been living in your home for at least 10 years.
- Be current on your property taxes, or in an Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement or installment plan.
- Have an income below the limit for your family size.
You can look up your home’s current and previous assessments at property.phila.gov.
LOOP income limits
You must submit proof of income with your application.
| Family Size | Income Cap (120% of AMI) | Income Cap (150% of AMI*) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $103,350 | $128,850 |
| 2 | $117,800 | $147,250 |
| 3 | $132,500 | $165,650 |
| 4 | $147,200 | $184,050 |
| 5 | $159,000 | $198,800 |
| 6 | $170,800 | $213,500 |
| 7 | $182,550 | $228,250 |
| 8 | $194,350 | $242,950 |
| 9 | $206,100 | $257,700 |
| 10 | $217,900 | $272,400 |
*Households enrolled in the LOOP exemption prior to 2023 may stay in the program so long as their total household income for each year is less than 150% of the Area Median Income. The 120% HUD AMI applies to everyone else.
The Philadelphia Department of Revenue conducts periodic eligibility reviews for Real Estate Tax assistance benefits. Revenue’s Tax Benefit Review Unit may contact you to confirm your continued eligibility and participation in the program. If you have been selected to confirm eligibility, you may contact the unit directly at taxbenefitreview@phila.gov.
LOOP and other Real Estate Tax relief programs
You can’t have LOOP and the Homestead Exemption at the same time.
To help you determine which program is better for you, use the calculator on the Property Search website to compare savings. The LOOP application and flyer also include a calculator to help you estimate your tax bill with each program.
You can still apply for other Real Estate Tax relief programs while you’re on LOOP. These include:
- Senior Tax Freeze program.
- Low-income Tax Freeze program.
- Installment plans.
- Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement.
- Any other local or state Real Estate Tax assistance programs, including state rebates.
LOOP and abatements
You cannot enroll in LOOP if, as the current owner, you received a tax abatement on your current property. You are also ineligible if the previous owner(s) had an abatement and are your close relative. Close relatives include a spouse, life partner, parent, stepparent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or step-grandparent.
Special situations
A trust can sometimes be eligible for LOOP. The Department of Revenue’s legal team reviews LOOP applications from trusts. They may request additional information during the application process; be prepared to provide at least a complete copy of the recorded trust.
You can add and remove family members to your deed if they die, move in, or move out, without affecting your LOOP status. You’ll still need to meet the income requirements. Contact the LOOP hotline at (215) 686-9200 to ensure you continue participating in the program.
How to apply
Before you apply
Remember, you can’t have LOOP and the Homestead Exemption at the same time. If you have the Homestead Exemption, you’ll need to request your removal at the same time you apply for LOOP.
You can remove the Homestead Exemption online or by mail.
Apply online
You can apply for LOOP through the Philadelphia Tax Center. To get started, select the “Search for a property” link in the Property panel. After you search for your property, select the OPA blue hyperlink number on the right side of the screen. Then select “Apply for real estate assistance programs.”
From this screen, you can apply for LOOP using the combined application. You can also remove your Homestead Exemption, if necessary.
Apply by mail
You can fill out a LOOP application and mail it to:
Philadelphia Department of Revenue
P.O. Box 53190
Philadelphia, PA 19105
If necessary, you can also complete and mail the Homestead change or removal form to the same address.
We accept applications year-round. The due date determines when the benefit begins and can be credited to your bill. Applications submitted by September 30 each year will apply to the bill in that same year.
How to pay your taxes when you have both LOOP and an installment plan
You may be eligible to pay your Real Estate Taxes through monthly installments if you’re a low-income taxpayer or a senior citizen. Learn more about setting up a monthly installment plan.
If you’re on an installment plan, we’ll update your bills once you’re approved for LOOP. Your bill will reflect the discounted amount and how much you’ve already paid. Until then, you can either:
- Continue to pay the same amount each month, or
- Divide the LOOP-discounted tax amount by 11, then pay that amount each month.
Ending your enrollment in LOOP
If you enrolled in LOOP and then leave the program, you won’t be able to re-enroll later. However, you’ll be able to reapply if you qualify for a different year’s assessment in the future.
To leave LOOP, use the LOOP removal form. Complete, sign, and date the form. Then, mail it to the address on the form.
You’ll also need to use this form if you no longer meet LOOP eligibility requirements. If this happens, you must alert the Department of Revenue within 45 days.
You become ineligible for LOOP if:
- You no longer live in the home as your primary residence.
- Your family’s income is above the income limit, or
- You fall delinquent on real estate taxes that are not in a payment agreement.
Program cap
As of 2023, the yearly amount available for LOOP savings totals $35 million. If more than $35 million in savings is requested and granted, your discount may be reduced, and you could owe more in Real Estate Taxes.
Enrollment in LOOP stays open even when the annual program cap is met.